Buttonhole cutter or shears.



No. 673,043. Patented Apr. 30, MN.

M. E. BURNER. v

BUTTONHULE CUTTER 0B SHEABS.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1901.)

(No Model.)

745667 Lear es UNITED STATES PATENT CEE'ICE.

MARY E. BURNER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

BUTTONHOLE CUTTER OR SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 673,043, dated April 30, 1901.

Application filed February 5, 1901. Serial No. 46,121. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY E. BURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buttonhole Cutters or Shears, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide buttonhole cutters or shears whereby buttonholes may be more conveniently cut in the closures of garments in a line substantially parallel with the edge of the buttonhole-flap than has heretofore been possible; and the invention is especially adapted for cutting vertical buttonholes or'buttonholes which are substantially parallel to the edge of the buttonhole-fiap of the closures of shirt-waists and like garments.

The invention consists in buttonhole cutters or shears having their projecting cutting blades arranged at an angle, and preferably substantially at right angles, to the plane of the pivotal arms thereof; and the invention also consists in providing such cutters or shears with means for regulating the cutting action of the cutting-blades thereof, whereby buttonholes of different lengths may be cut, all substantially as I will proceed now more particularly to set forth and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the two figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a garment, showing my invention in the application of its use; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my buttonhole cutters or shears.

The arms a and 1), their pivots c, fingerpieces d and d, and the cutting-blades e and f, projecting laterally from the arms a and b of the cutters or shears, are of the usual and well-known construction. 7

In carrying out my invention, and as shown in the drawings, the laterally-projecting cutting-blades e and f instead of being continued and lying in the same plane with the arms a and b, as heretofore, are arranged at an angle to the planeof the pivotal arms a and b by bending said arins at a suitable distance beyond the said projecting blades, as at 6"), and in the preferred construction sa'id blades are arranged at substantially right angles to the plane of the pivotal arms a and b and their attached finger-pieces d d. Of course it will be observed that the bends e and f will be made a sufficieut distance from the pivotal point of the arms a and b to permit the passage of the edges of buttonhole-flaps between said arms and without buckling the edges of said flaps in the operation of the device.

For the purpose of regulating the cutting or shearing action of the blades for cutting buttonholes of different lengths and for. setting the device for cutting a series of buttonholes of the same length I provide anadjustable stop-piece g, constructed as a flat piece of metal or other suitable material, provided with an upturned end g, constituting a finger-piece and also serving as a stop for lim iting the inward movement of the stop-piece g.- The stop-piece g is fitted to slide in an opening g in one of the arms, as a, on the opposite side of the pivotal point to that containing the cutting-blades, said stop-piece g abutting against the arm I) in the closing of the shears, thereby limiting the cutting or shearing action of the blades. A set-screw g is arranged in the arm a to engage the stoppiece for the purpose of securingit in itsadjusted positions. Any other suitable means may be used for this purpose, and I wish to be understood as not limiting my invention to the details of construction and arrange ment of the parts herein shown and described.

The operation of the device is as follows: The cutters or shears having been set for cutting a buttonhole of the desired length are taken in hand in the usual manner, with the cutting-blades in either an upward or downward direction, preferably upward, as shown in Fig. l, and one or the other of the blades e f, according to the location of the buttonhole-flap, is placed beneath the said flap, while the other of said blades remains above the flap, the edge of the flap freely entering the space between the arms or and b and without any buckling, and the said blades being suitably positioned the cutting of the buttonhole is proceeded with in a very convenient and easy manner.

It will be observed that with the cutters or shears as thus constructed vertical buttonholes or buttonholes which are parallel with the edges of the buttonhole-flap may be conveniently and easily cut in the closures of shirt-waists and other similar garments with very little trouble in positioning the cutters or shears with relation to the flap and without buckling or folding of the goods.

The cutters or shears may be constructed in any other suitable manner so long as the projecting cutting-blades are arranged at an angle to the plane of the pivotal arms and still be within the scope of my invention, and I wish to be understood as not limiting my invention to the particular construction herein shown and described.

What I claim is 1. Buttonhole cutters orshears,having their projecting cutting-blades arranged substantially at right angles to the plane of the pivotal arms of said shears, substantially as described.

2. Buttonhole cutters or shears,having their projecting cutting-blades arranged substantially at right angles to the plane of the pivotal arms of such shears, and an adjustable stop secured to said shears for varying and limiting the cutting action of said cuttingblades, substantially as described.

3. Buttonhole cutters or shears, comprising pivotal arms having suitable finger-pieces, and cutting-blades projecting laterally from said arms at a distance from the pivotal point thereof, the said cuttingblades being arranged at an angle to the plane of the pivotal arms, substantially as described.

4. Buttonhole cutters or shears, comprising pivotal arms having suitable finger-pieces, and cutting-blades projecting laterally from said arms at a distance from the pivotal point thereof, the said cutting blades being arranged at an angle to the plane of the pivotal arms, combined with means for varying and limiting the cutting action of said blades, substantially as described.

5. In cutters 0r shears,the combination with the cutting-blades and pivotal arms thereof, of means for regulating or limiting the cutting action of said blades, comprising an adjustable stop-piece fitted to slide in one of the pivotal arms of said shears and provided with an upturned finger-piece or stop and adapted to abut against the other of said arms, and a set-screw for securing said steppiece in its adjusted positions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of February, 1901.

MARY E. BURNER. 

